System of electric-motor control.



H. L. BEACH. SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.26, 1907.

929, 1 86, Patented July 27, 1909.

INVENTOR- cam 7 ATTORNEY v R} gi UNITED. STATES Parry-arr orricn.

HOWARD BEACH 0F WILKINSBURG; raxazassreaoa-mo WESTINGHOUSE i I ELECTRIG & MANUFACTURING-COMPANY, A CORPQRATIQN-OF'PEENSYLVANIA,

summer swarms-moron 1 No. 929,186. Specification of ate-seen; r re t; ratene aaiaiev, 1909.

ApplicstionifiledSeptember- 26;1907; sqnam. 39 5746. I

To all whom 'it I Be it known t h 'Homma L. BnAorr, a citizen of the U "St-ates,iand a resident of Wilki'nsbur-g, i 'n'j' t-he county ofIAllegheny and State ofPenhsylvania, have invented'a new and useful improvement in Systems of Electrrc-Motor-Control, of-which, the following is-aspecification. I

M invention relates to systems of electric motor control, and haslspecial reference to the control of electric vehicle motors which I a re adapted to receive energy from either direct or alternating current sources.

The object of my invention is to provide a system of the class above indicated that shall be simple-in arrangement and eflective in operation and that shall embody auto-. matic means for rendering the ap aratus on v the vehicle electrically dead in or er toprotect passengers and attendants from-injury in case the vehicle leaves the rail or the return circuit is interrupted for other reasons.

Then-electric vehicles are supplied with energyfrom sources of alternating current, the trolley voltage is often relatively high, a suitable transformer being mounted on the vehicle in order that energy may be supplied to the motors'at a' suitable low voltage. The control ofisuch systems is effected by var ing the motor connectionsfrom one transformer tap toanother,a nd it will be readily understood that the transformer windin s are continually ener ized from the supp y circuit as long .as tie alternating current trolley or other current-collecting device is in vengagernent:wi-th its supply conductor,

- and as 103 as the vehicle wheels rest upon the circuit! Accordingto m present invention, Iprovide an jim-prov system having two ourthe rails w ich usually'constitute one leg of Y rent-collecti'n deviceswhiclra -re respectively .su'chthat a change from direct" to alteradapted for: irect, and alternating .current. One of these collectors is pneumatically operated and the; arrangement of the system; is

natin "01? alternating to direct current may be e ected while-the vehicle" is in motion with a' amount of labor and trouble. In a-systenf ofvehi cle controlhav ing a ,transformerjconnected as above indicated, passengers and-attendants would be in 'great danger of injary' should the vehicle he derailed whilethe alternating current col the interruption of the trans ormercircuit current collectort isle diagrammatic view of a system farna-ting current collector shownin- Fig.. l.

electric motors haying. armatures L, 2, 3 and l and field magnet windings 5-, 6, 7 and 8 circuit beingcompleted through a rail con ductor 13; The direct [current trolleyll is comprises a cont-actshoe It, a spring 15 which normallyholds the shoe engagement witha trolley conductor, lowering pis' tons 1'6 and 117 that operate in-a cylinder 18 magnet valves 20 and 21 are permanently connected .together elec-v sideredas a. single motor and the circuit connections ofthe groups may be varied from a series to a parallel relation and maybe .connected; or disconnected from a line by a plu- 38, 89 and it). The, amount of resistance lector was still in engagement with the supcntlyn 1 at ed switches 45 to: elusive.

for automatically lowering the alternating Figure 1 of,- the accompanying drawings ranged in-j accordance I with my invention, and Eng. 211's a sectional view'of the alterrectly from: the trolley 12' through conductorrela-y switch 25 and conductor'26 to one ter- Energy is supplied from the direct our rent trolley 11 through'a conductor 29', v t

to one terminal of a resistance comprising:

ral-ity of independentlyeoperated switches 37,

included in the circuit may be varied by a. series of switches 41.42,-

and 44 and the I alternating: current voltage applied to the ,I motors is governed by a" group of independactor; one {terminal of: the" trans; I mug-normally grounded or con nected to a'returncircuit conductor 'throu h the vehiclewheels." I have obviated this dl-f ficulty by providing means de endentupon.

Referring tothe drawings, a plurality of;

may be supplied with energy from direct or alternating. current sources through trolley conductors 9 and 1-0 and trolleys 11 and'12, I

controlled inanually,-but the alternating cur 1 rent trolley '1i2. is of the pantograph type,

and'a latch 19, and: is governed: by electrotrically and: the motors 3 and-4 are similarly connected so that-each group .may be con--- A change-over switch 53, which is operated a lto /arrange the control circuits for Jo V Ithe system from alternating or dir current, and the position of the switch termined by selective relays 56 and 57. independently-operated switches and switches which are referredto above r'iiagnet and are governed by a master controller 58, energy being supplied for the -:':ontrol'-=s w1tehes from; a storage battery 59.

Fhe operation of, and the circuit connecgtionsator, the system are as follows: Assumm that the alternating current trolley 12 engages-tits supply conductor 10, and that the; a-rious'switchesofthe system occupy po .{ns as show in the drawing, line 23 and 32 being open, the motors maybe accelerated by first closing a re-set $0, and by moving the master con-,

- 'tigoller 58, so that it will occupy positions (1,

15,0, d e, f, g and 72., successively. As soon asa switch 60 is closed, a control circuit is zth itot ugh this switch, conductor 61, magnet established from the storage battery 59 Winding 62, conductor 65, and negative conductdr 66- to the opposite terminal of the bati teryfi, The magnet winding 62, when enery a spring 64 and efiects the closure of the switch 25, which completes a control circuit ifI'ODl the battery through a switch 67, a con- (luctot- 68, .an operating magnet winding 69 ley 12,5.c0nduotor 22, line switch 23, overload release coil 24 of the switch 25 and conduc- $01 26 to one terminal of the auto-transtforlrle'r 27, the opposite terminal oftheftranst'ormer being connected to the rail con- ,d ztorlii by a conductor 28. The holding iei'rcuit-of theline switch 23 is maintained through the switch 25, except under overload conditions, the altei nating current cirinnit being normally made and interrupted my the engagement or disengagement of the trolley with the supply line conductor.

1 WVhen the transformer 27 is energized, as

above indicated, current is supplied from a -low voltage tap 7O through-a conductor 71 to a magnet winding 72, from which point the circuit iscompleted through conductor v73 to. return circuit conductor 13. When energized, the magnet winding 72 raises the switch 57,-,and a circuit is then completed fromthe battery 59 through a switch 74,

conductor 7 5, contact fingers 76 of the switch 57, contact members 77' (which are bridged by the contact member 78 of the switch 56) and conductor 79*to-magnet winding 55 of set "tvely; by electro-magnets 54 and 55, is

energy.

ach provided with an operating electrok releases a latch 63 which is operated 929,1se l the change-over switch 53, circuit being com: pleted from this point through the negative conductor 66. The change-over switch is moved to occupy position a: by the energizing of this, magnet winding, and the motors may be supplied with alternating current v If the master controller 58 is now moved to occupy position a, energy is supplied from the storage battery 59 through contact finger 80 to contact members 81 and 82, circuit being continued fromcontact finger 81 through contactfinger 83, conductor 84, and conductor 85 to magnet winding of the switch 38, the opposite terminal of this winding being, connected to negative c011- ductor 66. A. second circuit is" established from the conductor 84, through contact fingers 86 (that are bridged by a contact member 87 when the change-over switch 83 oocupies position to conductor 88,the circuit being divided from this point so that energy is supplied through conductors 89 and 90 to the magnet windings of switches 37 and 39. The contact member 82 is engaged by a contact finger 91 and energy is supplied from this finger through conductor 92, contact fingers 93, and conductor 94 to the magnet winding of the switch 52, the circuit being completed as before through the negative conductor66 In this way, the

switches 38, 39, 37 and 52 are closed -and alternating current energy is supplied from a low-voltage tap 95 of the-transformer 27, through switch 52, conductor96, preventive coils 97 and 98, conductor'99 to the switches 38 and 39,, two branch circuits'bing completed from this point to the negative rail conductor 13, one of them being established throu li switch 38, field magnet windings-6 and; iotor armatures 2 and 1 and switch 37 and the other beingestablished through switch 39, field magnet windings 8 and 7 motor armatures 4 and 3. If the master controller/is moved to successively'occupy positions 6, 0, (Z, 6, f, g andh, switches" 48,.

'51, 47, 50, 46, 49 and 45 are successively closed, circuits being established through contact fingers 100, 101, 102, 103, 104,105 and 106 which move successively .i11to en-.

gagement with the contact member 82.

It will-be observed that switches 52,148,

51 and 47- are all closed at one time and then as'the switch 50 is closedthe, s'witch'52 is permitted to open, and as the' switch 46 is closed, the switch-'48 opens, and'so on,-four of the switches being closed at onetime; The 'voltage' variations are accomplished without at any time interrupting the circuit or directly short'circuiting any of the trans former turns by the ,li'seof three preventive coils 97, 98 and 107, which areimanipulated as illustrated and described'in Patent No};

834,525, granted October 30, 1906, to the Vvestinghouse Elect-ric, & Manufacturing 'Company, as'assignee of Ray ackson. I

It it is cdesiredto render" the apparatus on the vehicle electrically dead,- the switch 67 may beg moved temporarily in opposition to a v sprmglOS nto contact with a fingerlOE), "thereby mte'r'ruptin 'the circuit wh ch was formerly established through. the. magnet magnet valve 20. \Vhen venergized, this 1 magnet valve closesan exhaust port 113 and admits "fluid-pressure from a storage reservoir .114: througha pipe 115 to cylinder 18 between the pistons 16 and 17' which are immediatelyseparated, thereby lowering the "20 c0ntact shoe 14: in; opposition to the spring 15: The contact shoe 14 is provided 1th a s ringcatcl1,'1l.6, as shown in Fig. '2 of the rawlngs, at l engages a.hook projectioi1 117 from-the tch 19. 'Ihe same lowering action of -the. t rolleymay be effected auto- "mat-ically when the trolley circuit isinte'r-i rupted'bythe separation of the car wheels from the rails, in case of accident, or'by-the normal passing of the trolley shoe 'o'nto 'o 'de'ad section'for the purpose'of changing-c from alternating to direct-current operation.

iAssuming that the alternating current trolley -.'12 is lowered and that the mastercontroller 58' is in its :ofi' position, if the direct current trolley 11 is now moved into engagement witha direct current supply conductor 9,'ei1ergy is li'rst supplied through a conductor 29 and switch -30' to magnet win'dirigllt) of the relay swltch 5G, clrcuit .40 being 'con p leted'to rail conductor through the conductorj73, 'Therelayfswitch is raised follow-i171 the energizing-of its winding, and

a feontro circuit is completed from the stor-. .agebatteryfitl, through switch 74, conductor 4 5 v 75. contactfingers -110' of the switch 57, contact fingers 120 (that are engaged by contact members'78) and conductor 121 to operating magnet 54 'of'the; change-over.

witch 53, which is then moved to position y.

15 0 If the master controller is again'moved' to occupy the position a,'en'ergy1s supplied-to conductors 84 and ,92, one circuit being compl'eted from conductor 84 to the magnet I .winding of theswitch 38,11 second being 55 completed fron afconductor 84 through the contactf; fingers 122 (which are bridged by the contact member 87) and conductor 123 to the magnetwindings of line switch 32 and switch'40, :circuit being completed in each instance through 1 the negative conidnctor 66-; 'A's soon asjline switch-.32 and line switches 38 andj tO are close,d', ;.as above indicatei' 'a motor'circuit is established from the. directcurrentj trolley 11 throl gh con-v Q3 (Int-tor 29 switch 30, conductorwfi l hne thecombination with an felectricjmotor, av

s\vitcl1 -32, resistance sections 33, 34, 35 and q conductor 99, switch 38, field magnetwindings G and 5, motor armatures 2 and 1,.- switchftO, field magnet windings 8 and 7, motor armatures 4 and 3, and conductor 124 70 to the negative rail conductor 13; The motors are thus'connected,in asingle series c rcuit, and; as the mastercontroller 5S successively. occupies its remaining positions, A the resistancesections which are at first in -"7 5 eluded; in the circuit are. short-circuited byv Switches 41,42f 13 and 4A which' ar'e dependent upon vengagement of fiiwerslOfi, 104, 105 and 106 with contact mem er 82. f I

In changing from direct current to alternating current, .a dead section'of conductor is usually provided .in which the vehicle driver should move hismast er controller to the off "position and the vehicle driver or 'otherattendan't should pu-llv down the direct current trolley. -The alternating trolley 12 may then be raised into engagement with.- the conductor. by moving the switch 11 in opposition to a spring 126 so that a circuit may be temporarily completed through a 9o conductor 12? to magnet winding 12S ofv the valve magnet 21. 'hen energized, this magnet valve closes an exhaust-port 129 and admitsfluid-pressure frolnthe pipe 115 to the latch cylinder 19. The hook projcctionll? is therebfgreleased from the spring. hook 116 and the 'trolleyisraised by the spring-"l5 into engagement with the conductor. In passing from alternating to di-' 'rect'current, the alternating current trolley 12 will be automatically separated from the conductor, ashereinbefor'e sctforth, and it is then necessary for th'eattendant to 'manually raise the direct current trolley into en'- gagement with the conductor. 7 I It willbe observed that the change-over switch 53 may not be'actuated if the relay. switches 56Kand 57 areboth closed at one time, since the circuit is; established when one. switch is c osed and also. dependent upon the other switch being open.

It will'be understood that variations in the circuit connections-shown in the dra'wings maybe effected within the scope of my invention, and I desire that onlysuch lluutations beimposed as are indicatedJin-thc ap-- pended.claims.' 4

I claim as my invention:- p

'1. In a system of electric vehicle (iontrol, thecombination with a supplyconductor, a transformer, and a current-collecting device that; engages the conductor and is electrically connected to the transformer, of means dependent upon predetermined conditions in the transformer circuit ,for automatically moving the current-collectingdevice out of engagement with the supply" conductor.

21 Ina control system for electric vehicles,

supply circuit, a transformer., and a currentcollecting device connecting one extremity of the transformer with a supply circuit, of means dependent upon the interruption of the circuit in which the transformer is included'for automatically effecting the separa'tion o'f the current-collecting device from the supply circuit.

3.",In a system of electricvehicle control, the combination with a supply conductor, a return circuit-conductor, a transformerinterposed between the two conductors, and a current-collecting device which connects one end of the transformer witha supply conductor, electric driving motors that are energized from intermediate taps in the transformer, of means dependent upon the interruption of the circuit in which the transformer is connected for automatically separating the current-collecting device from the supply conductor.

"J:- Ina system of electric vehicle control, the combination with a supply conductor, a return conductor, a transformer normally interposed between the two, a trolley connecting one extremity of the transformer to the {supply conductor, and driving motors thatare energized from the transformer, of a relay switch that. is energized from an intermediate point in the transformer and is adapted to automatically effect the separation of the trolley from the supply conduc;

tor when deenergized.

In a system of electric vehicle control, the combination with a supply conductor, a return circuit conductor, a transformer normally interposed between the two, a trolley connecting one extremity of the transformer to the supply conductor, resilient means for maintaining the engagement of these parts,

and means responsive to fluid-pressure for opposing the spring and lowering the trolley, and motors energized from intermediate points in the transformer, of a relay switch having an operating magnet winding that is energized directly from a tap in the transformer, said relay switch being adapted to energize said fluid-pressure-responsive means when its magnet winding is denergized.

6. In a system of electric vehicle control, the combination with a supply conductor, a return circuit conductor, a transformer normally interposed between the two, a trolley connecting one extremity of the transformer to the supply conductor, a spring for holding the trolley in engagement with the comductor, a fluid-pressure cylinder and pistons operating therein to act in opposition to the spring, and motors that are energized from intermediate taps in the transformer, :of an clectro-responsive valve that controls the ad mission of fluid-pressure through the cylinder, and a relay switch havlng a magnet winding that is energlze-d directly from' a transformer tap, said switch being adapted,"

current supply conductors, current-collectwhen open,' to energize the electro-responsive' valve, thereby admitting fluid-pressure to the cylinder and lowering the trolley.

' 7. In a system of electric vehicle control, the combination with alternating and direct ing devices adapted for engagement with each supply conductor, a return circuitcon ductor, a transformer interposed between the alternating current collector and the return circuit conductor, and electric driving motors that may be supplied. with energy from either conductor, of a change-over switch for effecting the proper circuit connections, and a relay switch having a mag net winding that is energized from the transformer and is adapted, when energized,

to move the change-over switch to a" predetermined position, and when deenergized to effect the separation of the alternating current collector from its supply conductor.

8. In a system of electric vehicle control, the combination with a supply circuit conductor, a transformer and a current-coliccting device that engages theconductor and is electrically connected to the transformer, of means dependent upon the interruption of the transformer circuit for rendering the transformer electrically dead. 9. In a system of electric vehicle control, the combination with a supply circuit conductor, an electric current-receiving device on the vehicle, and a current-collecting device'that engages the conductor and is connected to the receiving device, of means dependent upon the interruption of the circuit of the receiving device for automatically interrupting the connection between the receiving device and the current collector. v

10. In a system of electric vehicle control, thecon ibination with a supply circuit conductor, a transformer and a current-collec tor engaging the conductor and connectedto the transformer, of; means dependent-upon a predetermined current traversing the eonnection-between the collector and the transformer for automatically separating the collector from the supply circuit conductor. I

11. In a systemiof electric vehicle control, the combination with a supply circuit conductor, current-receiving apparatus on the vehicle, and a current-collector engaging the supply circuit conductor and connected to the receiving apparatus, of means dependent upon an excessive current t'aversing the connection between the collector and the current-receiving apparatus for automatic: ally separating the collector from the supply conductor.

the combination with avsupply circuit con- 25 ductor,-propelling motors on the vehicle and, i

' a trolley-engaging the conductor and-connected tothe motors,.of automatic means the duet.

dependent upon an excessive currentsuppiied to the motors for moving the trolley 10 means dependent upon predetermined enrl'ent eonditirms in the receiving eirenit e0n-. duetm' tor lnovmg the collector out of engagement with the supply eirenit enndueton in' testimony \'\'here'0f,' I have hereunto snhserihed my name this 24th day of Sept}, 15

HOWARD L. BEACH. Witnesses: v

HERMAN El KRENDER. BIRNEY 1 ilNES. 

